“That fucking ex-convict. How dare he take what is mine?!”Karina rolls her eyes. “So what do you plan to do? Take him down? You must have a decent plan right?”Karina spoke while filing her nails. “Just wait and see. I'll get back what is mine and most of all I will teach that bastard a lesson and send him back to where he came from”Luke chuckles. “He comes out from jail and starts acting all high and mighty? It's only a matter of time until he ends up there once again”Karina scoffs. “Are you that daft? Do you think it'll be easy to take him down so easily like before? He had so much money and power now. Don't you still get it?!”Karina sighs, feeling frustrated with her brother. “Don't go doing anything silly that you can't handle. Hardin must be smart enough to have gotten into the elite club and make it to the top so quickly. You should be cautious about him”“Don’t worry about me. I have a meeting now with the investors so I'll be taking my leave”“Goodluck brother”Luke c
“What the hell?”Luke reads the words on the letter. ‘'TURN YOURSELF IN YOU DRUG ADDICT”Angered, he crumples the paper in his hand. What? Did Hardin start threatening him? “How dare he do this to me? I already promised I will do it”Luke scratches his hair in frustration. As if beating him up was not enough. Was Hardin also threatening him as well? Luke needed to do something before he will go down but how was he going to get any information on his sister? How could he actually betray her? A knock is heard on the door startling Luke. He takes in a deep breath and lays down still feeling intense pain all over his body. “Come in”Dario walks in with a smile on his face dressed in a suit and standing confidently as he towered over Luke. “Can you be honest with me Luke? You know I consider you like my little brother"Luke scoffs. "Don't. You already have an abandoned brother"Dario smirks and leans closer to Luke. "Did Hardin really beat you to a pulp?”Luke glares at Dario. “
Luke was doomed. He was caught red handed. How was he going to get himself out of this? Even his own sister didn't know about his drug trafficking history or that he was an addict and he wasn't going to confess now. Luke let's out a nervous laugh. “Karina. You're awake?”Karina had a cold expression on her face as she walked down to Luke and grabbed the file out of his hand. “Answer me Luke. What the fuck are you doing here? Why are you going through my stuff?!”Luke lets out a sigh and stands confident.“Why are you so on edge? Are you hiding something?”Karina scoffed. “I asked you a question brother. Why did you sneak into my room and come for this?”“I was drunk. I had too many drinks with Dario and lost my way to your room thinking it's the wine cellar and I stumbled upon this room. So I was curious”Karina takes a step closer to her brother glaring daggers at him. “You stumbled? No one knows about this room not even my husband! So I find it very hard to believe you ‘’stumb
“He is being threatened?”Hardin had met with Detective Kim to help provide him some answers. It wasn't any of Hardin's business if Luke was being threatened. It's not like he had a record of good doings. He was a cruel man who did shady things and it wouldn't be a surprise if he had any enemies but why did he accuse Hardin instead? “Do you know what the letter said?”Hardin had already thought about it but from what Luke has said the threat must have been related to his drug trafficking. That should be the only reason why Luke would come for him. But who else could have known of it? “I have no idea. Look into Luke's whereabouts and the people he is meeting. Report to me if you find anything suspicious. I don't know if he is putting on an act but I don't want to be dragged into this”“Yes sir. I'll make sure I do my best”…“Tell me what the hell you were doing in there!”Luke rolls his eyes at his sister. He was somehow hoping she would have forgotten about what she saw but she w
Hardin had gotten an unexpected call on a Saturday morning. One he hadn't looked forward to getting. “Isn't it a bright day Hardin?”Hardin clenches his fist underneath the table as he looked Dario in the eyes. He couldn't shake off the pain he felt when he looked at him. When he has been in prison the image of Dario betraying him in court constantly played in his head and he wondered why the person he considered to be his brother would do such to him. He gave him hope and then smashed it into pieces. Hardin despised him gravely. “Why did you call me out here?”Dario had invited Hardin to a golf course. “You remember we used to love playing golf when we were younger"Dario hits the ball and it rolls into the hole while Hardin stood there unfazed. Hardin couldn't remember anything even if he wanted to. He had chosen to erase all memories he shared with Dario from his heart. If it was never there then it meant the memories never existed in the first place. Hardin saw Dario as no
Dario bursts out into a laugh. “You're joking right?”Hardin wasn't smiling one bit. “You took away my place in your family, took away my wife, took away my company and took away my freedom”Hardin glares at Dario. The more he looked at him to more pain he felt. He was standing in front of the man who tried to ruin his life. “I can't take back the others I've already lost but I can take my company back. I worked hard to build it”Dario matches Hardin's glare. “I made that tiny business you started into what it is! I expanded it and made it one of the top. Me! I did that so it belongs to me! You will never have it Hardin!"Hardin chuckles briefly. Of course Dario wouldn't give it up so easily. “Did you just like stealing things that you couldn't start your own company and had to take mine? Is that all you're good at Dario? Stealing?"Dario deepened his glare. “Watch your words Hardin!”Hardin stares into Dario's eyes and places a hand on his shoulder. He sends him a small smile
“I hate this one. Don't you guys have any better suits?!”Luke tosses the suit on the the worker. “I'm sorry sir. We will get you another one”Luke lets out a heavy sigh. He had been stressed for the past few days and now he had to attend the the upcoming event for business owners. Luke's phone buzzes as he received a text from Hardin. A frown appears on his face as he reads it. 'I want what you promised by tomorrow'Luke grits his teeth. “By tommorow? That fucking bastard!"The next day was the day of the event. Luke felt uneasy wondering if Hardin's plan was to expose Karina's secret at the event. Could he sit back and watch his sister get humiliated like that? “Sir, why don't you try this on? It is from the brand chanel and-”Luke tosses it away. “I'm done shopping. All the thing you people sell are so damn ugly!”…Hardin stares at the text he had sent Luke yesterday. It was unanswered. “Is he trying to get on my nerves?”Hardin picks up his dress shirt from his closet.
Murmurs fill the entire room which is now pitch black. “What is going on here?!"Dario sighs in frustration. Hardin feels small fingers gripping his arm tightly. He hears heavy breathing and he is suddenly concerned. He could tell who it was from the scent of her perfume.“Layla. Are you okay?”“I-I'm afraid of the dark”Layla managed to whisper while she hyperventilated. Hardin places two hands on her shoulders barely seeing anything. “Relax Layla! Take deep breaths okay”The lights suddenly come on and everyone is relieved. Layla is on the floor covered in sweat as she struggled to breath. Hardin pat's her back softly until she regains her regular breathing. “Thank you sir”She manages to stand to her feet looking pale. “Are you sure you don't want to go home? Maybe we should go to the hospital?"A loud shriek is heard from a group of guests. Hardin, Layla, Dario and Karina all rush to see people huddled together as multiple screams are heard. Hardin pushes his way through to
~Flashback~Noah stared at Hardin’s body sprawled on the kitchen floor, his heart pounding in his chest. The only sound was the distant ticking of the clock, a stark reminder that time was slipping away. Hardin lay motionless, his face pale and breath shallow. Noah’s stomach twisted with a mixture of panic and exhilaration. The man who had always overshadowed him was now vulnerable, and it was all part of his plan.He felt a rush of adrenaline as he knelt beside Hardin, his mind racing. This was the moment he had been waiting for—an opportunity to escape the suffocating grip of his boss. Noah had been planning this for weeks, watching Hardin closely, studying his habits, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. And now, with the project launch looming, he had finally taken action.Noah stood up, glancing toward the door, ensuring no one was coming. He needed to move quickly. The chaos would provide cover for his departure. It was time to execute the second part of his plan. He sprint
Dario was sitting in his sleek office, sipping a glass of whiskey when his phone rang. The number was unfamiliar, but something told him to pick up.“Hello?” His voice was smooth, but the sharpness in his tone hinted at impatience.On the other end, a soft, professional voice replied, “Mr. Dario, I’m calling from St. Mark’s Hospital. I thought you’d like to know—Hardin is in a coma. He was poisoned, and his condition is critical.”The nurse’s words hit Dario like a bolt of lightning, but he quickly composed himself, letting a slow grin spread across his face.“Is that so?” he replied calmly, but inside, excitement bubbled up like lava. “Thank you for informing me. I’ll make sure to… send my condolences.”He hung up the phone, staring out of the large office window with a look of satisfaction. Hardin in a coma? It was too perfect, almost like a gift falling into his lap. With Hardin out of the way, nothing would stop him from seizing control.Downing the rest of his whiskey, Dario stoo
Layla stood in the middle of Hardin’s luxurious living room, adjusting her sleek evening dress for what seemed like the hundredth time. She glanced at her watch, impatience growing with every second. The launch event was just around the corner, and Hardin still hadn’t come down from his room.“Where is he?” she muttered under her breath, pacing slightly.She walked to the bottom of the grand staircase and called out, “Hardin? Are you ready? We’re going to be late!”There was no response.Layla frowned, her heartbeat quickening with unease. Hardin was never the type to make people wait, especially not for something as important as his project launch. He should’ve been down by now, dressed to impress like always.After a few moments of silence, she called his name again, louder this time. “Hardin?”Still nothing.A sinking feeling settled in her stomach. Layla’s mind raced with possibilities, but she quickly brushed them aside. He was probably just preoccupied, working on last-minute pr
The afternoon sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm, golden hue over the city as Hardin stood at the edge of the grand event hall, watching his crew make the final preparations for the launch. Everything was coming together—the grand stage had been set, the investors were already buzzing about the project, and Hardin was determined that tonight would be his night.Next to him stood Layla, her brow furrowed as she meticulously reviewed the checklist in her hands. She had been his right-hand throughout this entire process, ensuring every detail was in place. As his secretary, Layla had always kept her emotions in check, but today, even she seemed nervous.“Catering’s done, stage lights are set” Layla muttered as she scanned the list. “Security is doubled, and the guest list is confirmed. What’s left is just the final sound check. I think we’re ready.”Hardin nodded, but the tension in his gut hadn’t loosened. After the sabotage with the cables and discovering the mole in his team, h
The dimly lit bar was quiet except for the low hum of jazz music playing in the background. Jane sat at a small table near the back, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the rim of her wine glass as she waited. The invitation card Hardin had sent her sat on the table in front of her, mocking her with its pristine white edges and elegant calligraphy. She had no intention of going, but it still irked her to receive it.A few minutes later, Dario strode in, his usual confident smirk in place. He spotted Jane instantly and made his way to her, sliding into the seat across from her with a grin. "I got your message. What’s so important that you couldn’t wait until tomorrow?"Jane, without saying a word, flicked the invitation card toward him. Dario raised an eyebrow as he picked it up, his eyes scanning the embossed text. He chuckled, tossing the card back onto the table."Ah, Hardin’s project launch. So, he sent you an invite. What’s the problem?"Jane let out an exasperated sigh and took a
Hardin stood at the head of the table, the tension in the room thick as he waited for everyone to settle in. Layla, Natalie, and Travis all sat around him, their expressions a mix of concern and focus. The events of the day weighed heavily on them, especially after the near-death experience with the chandelier and the sabotage that had already put the project launch at risk.Hardin begins. "I’ve gathered you all here because I believe we have a serious problem on our hands." His voice was steady, but there was a sharp edge to it. "This sabotage—it’s not random. I have reason to suspect that Dario and Karina are behind it.”Layla shifted in her seat, glancing around the room before speaking. "It makes sense. Dario’s been desperate to get ahead, and Karina has a grudge, especially after what happened to her brother. If anyone has a reason to sabotage the launch, it’s them."Natalie, who had been quietly listening, crossed her arms, her journalist instincts kicking in.Natalie nods.
Hardin paced the vast hall of the event venue where his project launch was to be held the next day. The place buzzed with workers running back and forth, setting up lights, arranging tables, and ensuring everything was in perfect order. The event was crucial for him—it marked the launch of his new business venture that could shift the entire market. Investors, business moguls, and media outlets were all expected to attend.Hardin had spent weeks planning every detail. The project was too important to fail. He had thought of everything—except, perhaps, for sabotage.Just as he was double-checking the final arrangements with his assistant, a crew member rushed over, his face pale with panic.The crew member was out of breath "Mr. Richard, we’ve got a problem."Hardin frowned, sensing trouble. His heart raced a bit faster as he asked. "What is it?"Crew member swallowed nervously. "The main cables... someone cut them. The entire power system for the launch presentation is down. It’ll
Natalie walked into Hardin’s home office with her laptop tucked under her arm, her steps purposeful. She had spent the entire weekend digging through sources, tracking down every piece of information she could find on Dario. Today, she was ready to hand over what could be the breakthrough Hardin needed.Hardin was sitting at his desk, his eyes focused on a stack of papers in front of him, but he looked up when she entered. His expression shifted from tiredness to curiosity.Natalie smiles widely. "I’ve got something you’ll want to see."She pulled out her laptop, placing it on his desk, and opened a file filled with emails, financial documents, and incriminating information. Hardin leaned forward, scanning through the pages. His brows furrowed, then a slow smile crept onto his face.Hardin looked impressed. "This is good, Natalie. Really good. How did you even get all this?"Natalie smirks widely feeling proud of herself. "I have my ways. Dario’s been covering his tracks, but not
Karina sat at the café, her polished nails tapping nervously on the marble table. She was waiting for someone she had thought of as not only a close friend but also a potential savior for her company: Angela Matthews. They had known each other for years, and Karina had counted on this meeting to secure Angela as a shareholder for her struggling business after Luke’s arrest had caused a loss of investors.Angela arrived, all smiles and pleasantries at first, and they exchanged the usual small talk. But as soon as the conversation turned to business, the atmosphere shifted.Karina smiles widely. "I think you'd be a great fit as a shareholder, Angela. We've always worked so well together, and I know you trust me."Angela glanced down at her coffee, stirring it quietly before speaking. She clears her throat awkwardly. "Karina... I really wish I could help. I mean, I want to... but, given everything going on with Luke—"Karina interrupts. "That has nothing to do with the business. Luke